TENSE SITUATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 146, 2 April 1948, Page 3

TENSE SITUATION

Frontier of Soviet Zone 4 AIR TRANSPORT NOW IN USE (N.Z.P.A.— Copyright). (Rec. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, April 1. A tense situation exists along the ■Frontier of the Soviet zone of Germany as Russian border guards restrict road, rail and water traffic from the western zones to Berlin. . * British military trains to and from Berlin for to-night have been cancelled. Earlier the United States authorities In Berlin announced that they had cancelled all military trains, in and out of Berlin, and were putting on air passages. . , The Russians this morning imposed restrictions on Allied traffic on the international highway. - In addition to establishing roadblocks on the highway linking the Western zones and Berlin, and strengthening the zone’s frontier guards, the Russians also* posted military police armed with tommy-guns at checkpoints on the main road between the Russian sector of Berlin and other parts of the capital itself. Later, however, Russion troops withdraw from roadblocks on the border of the Russian sector of Berlin with other sectors, of Berlin, and normal traffic between the sectors was resumed. * )

The Russians at Helmstedt, on the international highway, allowed only uniformed American personnel to pass. The Russians claim that the restrictions are necessary to halt “illegal transport” of industrial equipment and products to Western sectors of Berlin and the Western zones.

Russian-controlled newspapers have been alleging for weeks that Berlin’s economy is being plundered by the movement of many private industries and businesses to the Western zones. Erecting Watch Towers

The Russians are erecting watch towers along the zonal frontier in the Harz mountains, whose woods provide cover for persons illegally crossing the frontier, says Reuter’s Hamburg correspondent. A British inland water 1 transport official announced that the Russians stopped on the Mittelland canal, barges carrying supplies for the British population of Berlin. The Russians told German skippers they must get new inter-zonal passes. German newspapers reported that the Russians would not allow the barges to enter Berlin after midnight unless they had special passes. . A British official said he had heard nothing from the Russians, who “usually issue an order and tell us about it a week later.”

Reuter’s ' Berlin correspondent reports that Major-General Neville Brownjohn, the British Chief of Staff, protested to the Russian authorities about the detention of British military trains at the zonal border. The United States joined in this protest. It) is understood that General Brownjohn is trying to make arrangements to meet a Russian representative to discuss the situation.

General Lucius Clay announced that two American trains, now halted -in Helmstedt, would be returned to Frankfurt and the passengers brought to Berlin by air. He added that air services would carry freight as well as passengers. One of the two British trains from Berlin i*a still at Marienborn. Buffetcar was cent this afternoon from Helmstedt, to Maifienborn to feed the passengers on the train held there. Significantly 'it is equipped with shortwave radio.' ,' , \ - ■ Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says that Mr Ernest Bevin will probably decide personally what Britain should do about the Berlin train crisis and the new Soviet control measures. Lord Packenham, Minister for German affaire, arrived at Dusseldorf by air from Britain to-day for a three-day tour to meet British and German officials and visit the principal Ruhr cities. ‘

BRITISH SET UP COUNTER x - ROADBLOCK ‘ RUSSIANS REINFORCE BORDER v GUARDS (Rec. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 1. The Russian-controlled Berlin radio announced the Russian sector of Berlin would be closed to all traffic between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. nightly.

The Russians, probably as a rehearsal for the new order, established road blocks at various points, says the British United Press Berlin correspondent. The British established a counter roadblock near a check-point on crossroads which the Russians set up on British territory, just over the boundary near Gatow airfield. The Russians were .ordered off, but a Russian officer refused to leave until he received word from Major-General Kotikov, Russian commander in Berlin. The British commander, MajorGeneral Herbert, sent a Note to General Kotikov demanding the withdrawal of the post. The Russians detained several British people, Jjut later released them. British troops closed three out of four roads forming the crossroads. Passengers Removed / Reuter’s Berlin correspondent reports that the Russians reinforced the village of Oebisfelde, on the Soviet side of the border between the Russian and British zones with 350 soldiers. They also quartered detachment-3 of between 20 and 30 frontier police in small vil lages. However, apart from minor hold-ups last night traffic on the autobahn between the British border town of Helmstedt and Berlin was described to-night as normal. Sources close to Russian command circles said that all Russian frontier guards had been issued with live ammunition)

It is learned officially in Dusseldorf that all traffic by Control Commission personnel between the North Rhine, Westphalia and Berlin has been banned for at least 24 hours,A French train from Paris arrived in Berlin this afternoon after the Russians had. remved 67 persons at Marienborn because they did not possess the new travel orders. Reuter’s Wiesbaden correspondent says that United States Air Forces in

Europe announced that they would provide sufficient planes to carry all freight and passengers between the Western zones and Berlin. They would limit the number of planesi only- by requirements. It is learned that American planes flew 15,000 pounds of food from the American zone into Berlin to-day. No Serious Incidents Russian troops near Helmstedt forced a British sergeant at gunpoint to return over the zone border, and prevented him making a routine daily visit, to the Soviet control official. The Russians also' forced German, police from the British zone to abandon the border district near Helmstedt, occupied by the Russians, but later taken over by the British. The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press of America says that in spite of the strained atmosphere, there were no serious incidents between Russian and the Western Allied troops during the day. However, rumours, spread fast hat police in. a lower Saxony town had issued a calming'statement after rumours that Russians shells had fallen in the British zone.